President's Letter

ABA scholarship and other programs broaden inclusion in all areas of the law

A diversity of perspectives enriches our society and strengthens our institutions. This is why an essential goal of the American Bar Association is to achieve full and equal participation in the association, the legal profession and the justice system by people of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented racial and…

Mar 1, 2014 11:00 AM CST

ABA offers leadership, advocacy on important issues of policy and law practice

The American Bar Association Board of Governors recently responded quickly and effectively to an important issue for American lawyers and law firms. At its November meeting, the board voted to have the ABA fight proposed federal tax legislation that would force many law firms to adopt new, costly accounting practices.…

Feb 1, 2014 10:20 AM CST

ABA fosters discussion on reasonable, enforceable gun laws and safer streets

Gun violence affects Americans in our biggest cities and smallest towns alike. More than 100,000 Americans are shot each year—either by their own hand or by another’s—with 31,000 resulting deaths. The rate of per capita gun violence in the U.S. far exceeds that of any other industrialized nation. Lawyers are…

Jan 1, 2014 11:00 AM CST

Immigrants face numerous hurdles as they struggle to navigate the legal process

Immigration law is a significant focus of the American Bar Association. Many of our members handle immigration matters exclusively or work on such issues as part of their practices in other areas. Several committees throughout the ABA provide the latest information and education on immigration law. The ABA also devotes…

Dec 1, 2013 11:00 AM CST

ABA’s election programs aim to ensure all Americans can participate in our democracy

As Americans go to the polls this month, they will exercise the fundamental right that supports all other rights and responsibilities in our representative democracy. By participating in free and fair elections, voters will also reinforce the legitimacy of the rule of law. This is why the American Bar Association…

Nov 1, 2013 9:00 AM CDT

Legal Access Job Corps will place law grads in areas with unmet legal needs

Our nation is facing a paradox involving access to justice. On the one hand, too many people with low and moderate incomes cannot find or afford a lawyer to defend their legal interests, no matter how urgent the issue. On the other hand, too many law graduates in recent years…

Oct 1, 2013 10:00 AM CDT

Legal Access Job Corps will be a main priority for the coming year

The coming year for the American Bar Association is an important one. We need to build on our strong foundation of programs, projects and leadership, most recently under the guidance of my predecessor, Laurel Bellows. One of the ABA’s great challenges is to balance our responsibilities to serve our members…

Sep 1, 2013 9:50 AM CDT

ABA members, staff and lawyers in general worked to give voice to the voiceless

What a year it has been. In the past 12 months, we have watched unsettling events, including the constitutional crisis that pushed Egypt into turmoil, the civil war that continues to destroy families in Syria, and terrible bloodshed in Connecticut, Boston and elsewhere. At the same time, we have seen…

Aug 1, 2013 9:20 AM CDT

Judicial emergencies worsen as partisanship stalls nominations in the Senate

You are under consideration for a seat on the federal bench. Your family is supportive, even though your income will be much reduced. Your firm partners are anxious to prevent the loss of client relationships and are initiating an immediate succession plan a year or more before the earliest chance…

Jul 1, 2013 9:40 AM CDT

Gender inequity in pay diminishes women’s prospects—and the law profession

On June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law and declared an end to the “unconscionable practice of paying female employees less wages than male employees for the same job.” That was 50 years ago. At that time, women earned 59 cents to every…

Jun 1, 2013 9:40 AM CDT

ABA helps lawyers thrive by being at the forefront of new practice areas

Serving the growing number of elders who need legal help. Guiding companies through complicated efforts to combat cybercrime. Practicing law that focuses on collaboration. These are among expanding fields of law that offer opportunities to new law school graduates, those looking to return to law and seasoned practitioners in search…

May 1, 2013 9:50 AM CDT

Law Day reminds us that we must continue to fight inequality in all its forms

In every town and every city across the United States, Americans pursue the dream of freedom and equality—despite unrelenting obstacles. In small towns like Shelbyville, Tenn., immigrants from Somalia struggle to find a home in the traditional South. In cities like Washington, D.C., domestic workers are forced to work 12-14…

Apr 1, 2013 9:39 AM CDT

The ‘Obvious Truth’: Gideon asserts only a lawyer’s advocacy can ensure a defendant a fair trial

Bryan was a high school graduate who made a youthful mistake that could have sent him to prison. His public defender in Los Angeles County, Rhonda May-Rucker, convinced the prosecutor to drop theft charges and got her client to pay restitution. With this second chance, Bryan went on to graduate…

Mar 1, 2013 10:40 AM CST

Shattering the glass ceiling: Initiatives under way to end gender inequity in the legal profession

Time and time again, I have asked myself and others the same questions: Why are female lawyers still grossly underrepresented in positions of real power, influence and leadership? Why is there still such a disparity in pay between female equity partners and their male colleagues performing exactly the same work?…

Feb 1, 2013 10:40 AM CST

Digital Dangers: ABA Pursues Practical and Legislative Responses to Cybersecurity Threats

A water treatment facility releases millions of gallons of wastewater into an environmentally sensitive river system. Power fails in a northern city already struggling to stay warm during a cold spell. Information systems we increasingly rely on, including cellphones and email, are blacked out and families have no means to…

Jan 1, 2013 10:30 AM CST